Box Score BOX SCORE
BLOOMSBURG—The Bloomsburg University men's basketball team dropped its season opener to Pitt-Johnstown, 70-58, on Saturday afternoon at the Nelson Field House.
 
Bloomsburg jumped out to the early lead in the game going up 5-2 on buckets by Lorenzo Christmas (Norristown/Norristown) and Dontahe Jordan (Williamsport/Williamsport). The Mountain Cats though came back with a 13-0 run over a five-minute stretch to go up 15-5 with 13:48 to go in the first half.
 
The Huskies though came back using a 13-3 run of its own to tie the score at 18-18 with Christmas hitting a pair of three's and Daniel Kusnyer (Wexford/Hillsborough CC) one in the rally. UPJ though went back in front and led by as many as seven points late in the first half before going to the break up by three, 35-32.

In the second half the Huskies took their first lead in the game since early in the first half when Nnamdi Njoku (Westampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley) drove and scored on a layup. UPJ rallied with Nick Novak scoring seven of the game's next eight points to put the Mountain Cats back up by five 44-39 with 15:13 to go in the game.
 
The Huskies trimmed the lead back to a point, 46-45, on a couple of baskets by Jordan and two free throws from Kendal Smith (Waldorf, MD/Thomas Stone). But once again the visitors responded with a 10-1 rally with Paul Weatherly nailing a three-pointer to make it a nine-point edge, 56-47, with 9:24 to go in the game.

Bloomsburg answered with a three from Christmas and two free throws from Charles Haigler (Charles Town, WV/Hargrave Military Academy) to pull with four at 56-52 with 8:17 to play. That would be though as close as the Huskies would get as UPJ pushed the lead back to double digits on three's from Weatherly and Novak.

Down the stretch the Mountain Cats led by as many as 15 points before a late three pointer from the Huskies' Wes Lyons (Millville/Millville) made the final 70-58.
 
The Huskies, 0-1, were led by Christmas with 16 points, while Jordan added 15 and 14 rebounds with Lyons adding 11 points.
 
UPJ, 1-0, got 27 points from Novak, 11 from Weatherly and 10 from Jordan Miller.

The Huskies play at Penn State Hazleton on Thursday at 7 p.m.